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Contractor jailed after worker dies in trench collapse

A BUILDING contractor has been imprisoned for six months after admitting a breach in his duty of care to a worker who was killed in a trench collapse.

William Evans, of Blaenwaun Twr, Trelech, was contracted to construct a drainage trench at Longstone Farm in Pembrokeshire.

Hywel Richards was working in the trench on June 26 2012 when it collapsed, burying and killing him.

An investigation by the Health and Safety Executive (HSE) into the incident found that the work was not planned appropriately and the risk assessment was not suitable or sufficient.

“This tragic incident could have been prevented by undertaking a suitable and sufficient assessment of the risks, providing the correct equipment or safe working methods to the workers and managing and monitoring the work to ensure it was done safely,” said inspector Phil Nicolle.

Construction union Ucatt welcomed the prosecution, but said that prosecutions of employers who blatantly ignored health and safety regulations were “sadly too infrequent.”

Mr Richards’s family said in a statement: “Our family was devastated by his sudden death. We hope that lessons will be learned from dad’s death.”

Ucatt added: “The best protection for workers in the construction industry is to be in a trade union.”

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